gaeaf

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales, standard) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeɨ̯av/
  • (North Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈɡeɨ̯a/
• (South Wales, standard) IPA^(key): /ˈɡei̯av/
  • (South Wales, colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈɡei̯a/
• Rhymes: -eɨ̯av

Etymology 1

From Middle Welsh gayaf, from Old Welsh gaem, from Proto-Celtic *gyemos, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰyem-.

Celtic cognates include Cornish gwav, Breton goañv, Old Irish gam (Irish geimhreadh). Indo-European cognates include Latin hiems, Ancient Greek χεῖμα (kheîma), Old Church Slavonic зима (zima), Sanskrit हिम (hima).

Noun

gaeaf m (plural gaeafau or gaeafoedd)

1. winter

Derived terms

• berwr y gaeaf (“wintercress”)
• cynhaeaf (“harvest”)
• byrddydd gaeaf, heuldro'r gaeaf (“winter solstice”)
• gaeafgwsg (“hibernation”)
• gaeafgysgu (“to hibernate”)

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
gaeaf	aeaf	ngaeaf	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

See also

Seasons in Welsh · tymhorau (layout · text) · category
gwanwyn (“spring”)	haf (“summer”)	hydref (“autumn”)	gaeaf (“winter”)

Etymology 2

Verb

gaeaf

1. Soft mutation of caeaf.

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
caeaf	gaeaf	nghaeaf	chaeaf
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.